TY - JOUR AU - Alexander, Bruce AU - Lopes de Carvalho, Renata AU - McCallum, Hamish AU - Pereira, Marcos HorĂ¡cio T1 - Role of the Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus)in the Epidemiology of Urban Visceral Leishmaniasis in Brazil T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2002 VL - 8 IS - 12 SP - 1480 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) is a serious public health problem in several Brazilian cities. Although the proximity of chicken houses is often cited as a risk factor in studies of urban ZVL, the role chickens play in the epidemiology of the disease has not been defined. Chickens attract both male and female sand flies (Lutzomyia longipalpis), but are unable to sustain Leishmania infections, and their presence may exert a zooprophylactic effect. We discuss environmental, physiologic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors related to chicken raising that could influence Le. infantum transmission in Brazilian cities and evaluate whether this practice significantly affects the risk of acquiring ZVL. KW - leishmaniasis KW - Brazil KW - urban KW - chickens KW - Phlebotominae DO - 10.3201/eid0812.010485 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/12/01-0485_article ER - End of Reference